Porch swing



G. L. HALL PORCH SWING Aug. 23,1927.

' Filed Jan. 27. 1926 INVENTOR 18 George L.Hal

' ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

STATES GEORGE Il- HALL, OF ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA.

PORCH SWING.

Application filed January 27, 1926. Serial No. 84,179.

My invention is a fan attachment for swings of that type which includes aseat supported at its opposite ends by a pair of chains or like suspension members, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple, reliable and durable attachment of the character described which affords facilities for making use of motion which results from the operation of the swing to oscillate a fan or air agitating blade above the seat of the swing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment of the character described which will be practically noiseless when in operation.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment of the character described which can be adjusted for use with swings having a seat of any one of a plurality of different lengths.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an end view of a swing equipped with a fan attachmentembodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a relatively enlarged section substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a still further enlarged section along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6 are enlarged sections taken respectively along the lines M, 55 and 6-6 of Figure 2.

In Figure l, I show a swing having a seat 1 suspended from an overhead support 2 by means of pairs of upwardly convergent chains 3. Only one pair of the chains 3 is shown in Fig. l but it will be understood that the seat 1 is supported at each of its opposite ends by a pair of chains 3, as is usual.

An attachment embodying the invention includes a shaft which comprises a middle section 4 and a pair of end sections 5. The middle section f comprises a pair of similar elongated members P which preferably are rectangular in cross sectional contour and are held in spaced parallel relation to each other by pairs of rigid side connecting plates or straps 49 which are secured to the members 4 by suitable fastening devices, such as bolts and nuts indicated at 6. I prefer to use two pairs of the side connectors l adjacent to each end of the middle section at of the shaft, although any desired number of pairs of the side connectors 4P may be employed, it being essential, however, that there be a sufficient number of pairs of the side'connectors 4 attached to the members 4P of the middle section 4: of the shaft to hold the members 4? rigidly in spaced parallel relation to each other and. to prevent lateral movementof the portions of the end sections 5 of the shaft which are slidably received between corresponding end portions of the members 4 of the middle sec tion of the shaft. The space between the members 4 of the middle section of the shaft forms a slideway for the inner end portions of the end sections 5 of the shaft. The shaft therefore may be adjusted to vary the length thereof within limits and the end sections 5 of the shaft may be prevented from moving accidentally in the slideway between the members 4 of the middle section of the shaft in any suitable known manner, as by forming the end sections 5 to be substantially rectangular in cross sectional contour from their inner ends for the greater part of their length and of suflicient cross sectional area to fit rather tightly between the members 4 of the middle section of the shaft and between the side connectors el with which they are in contact so that the friction between the members 4 and the end sections 5 of the shaft will be suificient to retain these parts ment of the length of the shaft when de- L sired without the use of any tool.

The outer end portions of the end sections 5 of the shaft are reduced in cross sectional area as indicated at 5*, thus producing shoulders as indicated at 7 at the inner ends of the reduced portions 5 Also, slight enlargements of knob-like form as indicated at 8 may be provided at the outer ends of the reduced portions 5 of the sections 5 of the shaft. The reduced portions 5 of the end sections of the shaft are circular in cross sectional contour and constitute spindles. The shaft is flexibly supported in horizontal position between the suspension members 3 at opposite ends of the swing by means of sets a of supporting and operating cables 9 and 10, there being asset of the operating and supporting cables associated with each of the spindle portions 5 of the shaft. Each supporting and operating cable 9 is attached at one end, as at 11 to the associated chainB which is nearest to the back of the swing. The cable 9 is then passed forwardly over the associated spindle portion 5 of=the shaft and then around said spindle portion 5 of the shaft and forwardly as best seen in Figure 5, being attached at its forwardend, as indicated at 12, to the front suspension member 30f the associated pair of suspension members. Each supporting and operating cable is attached at its rearward end, as at '18, to a screw eye or like attaching member that is carried by a fixed support, as at 14, at therear-ofthe swing. The cable 10 then is passed forwardly underneath the associated spindle portion 5 of the shaft and then around the said spindle portion of the shaft =a's shown in Figure 4 and then forwardly, the second end portion of the cable lObeing attached, as at -15, to a screw eye 'or like attaching element on a fixed support, 'as 16, infront of the swing. The ends of each cable 9 will'be disposed at substantially the same level when the swing is in a position of rest, as shown in Figure land the ends of each cable 10 also are attached to the supports 14 and 16 at substantiallythe same level.

1i rom the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The suspension members 3 with which a set of the-cables9 and -10"are associated are flexible so that swinging-movement of the seat 1 in a forward direction will cause the shaft of'the attachment to roll or turn about its-axis in a counter-clockwise direction on the cables 9 and the cables 10. The return swinging movement of the seat 1'will causea like rolling or turning movement of "the shaft in a clockwise direction "about its axis on the cables 9 andthe cables 10. There is suflicient slack in the cables '10 .to .permit desirable swinging movement of the seat 1 of the swing. However, the shaft of 'the'attachment will .be actuated instantly when the seat '1 and the suspension members 3 are swung from their positions of rest as'shown in :Figure 1. I

The air agitating means that the inven tion-provides may have-the form of asingle lade or sheet 17 which extends between and is supported by a pair of arms 18. The arms 18 depend from the end sections of the shaft ofthe attachment. Each arm 18 may comprise a pair of similar strips 18 between which a vertical edge portion of the sheet 17 is secured by means of rivets .19 or like fastening devices. The upper ends of the arms 18 are'secured to the end sections 5 of the shaft by slips 20 which embrace none circular portions of theend sections 5 of the shaft "and have pairs of dep'ending lugs or end portions 21 which straddle the upper endportions of the arms 18 and are rigidly secured to the latter by the fastening devices 1122. These fastening devices 22 are shown as being bolts and nuts. The body o'f each :clip '20 conforms in cross sectional contour to that of the associated portion of the section 5 of the shaftso that :the fastening devices '22 also 'may serve to prevent turning of'the clips 20 on the end sections 5 of the shaft and the arms 18 will depend from the shaft in parallel relation to each other and willbe vertical when the swing is in the position of rest, as shown in Figure 1. The air agitating member or fan blade 17 may be a sheetof canvas :or other practically impervious material.

Swinging -movement of theseat '1 of the 'swingin a forward direction will cause the blade 17 to swing rearwardly and upwardly about the axis of the sh'aft'of the attachment. This fan blade will swing "through approximately 270during a normal swingin'g movement of the seat -of the swing and the breeze which thus will'becaused will not only tendto cool the occupantsof the swing and thus contribute to their comfort'but also will frighten insects away from itheswing.

The attachment can'be disassembled and packed into relatively slight space for shipinentor'stor'age. The operation of the attachment will be practicallynoiseless and will be attended by but very little wear on any of the parts :ofthe attachment'so that the attachment can be used continuously for a relatively long time without replacement of any of the parts thereof.

*Obyiously, my invention is susceptible of embodimentin forms other than that which is illustrated and described herein and I therefore-consider as my own all such anodifications and adaptations-of the formthereof herein described as fairly fall within :the

scope of the "appended claims.

I claim *1. Afan attachment for a swing vhaving pairs of flexible suspension members by means of which the ends-of the swing sea-t are suspended from an overhead support,

said attachment comprising a shaft, a pair of shaft supportlng and-operating 'cables, each of said'cables'having an end portion thereof secured to a fixed support at the rear of the swing "and then passed underaneath and around an end portion ofthe shaft,the opposite end portion of said cable "being secured'to a fixed'support'in 'front of said swing, avpair' of other shaft-supporting and operating cables each having an end portion secured to'oneofsaid'swing suspension members, and then being passed over the associated end-portionv of the shaft and around the shaft and then secured to the adjacent swing suspension member, and a blade carried by said shaft.

2. In a fan attachment for swings having seats supported at their ends by pairs of upwardly convergent suspension members, a shaft comprising a middle section and a pair of end sections, said middle section comprising a pair of parallel spaced longitudinal members of non-circular contour in cross section and pairs of side connectors attached to said members and holding said members in spaced parallel relation, said end sections of the shaft being non-circular from their inner ends for part of their length, said noncircular portions of the end sections being adapted to slide between the members of the middle section and between members or pairs of the side connectors of the middle section, the outer end port-ions of the end sections of the shaft being circular in cross sectional contour, arms removably and adjustably supported on the non-circular portions of the end sections of the shaft, flexible supporting means connecting the end portions of the shaft with the adjacent upwardly convergent seat supporting members of a swing and rollingly supporting said shaft, flexible motion transmitting means adapted to be actuated by the swinging of said seat to turn said shaft, and an air agitator member carried by said arms.

GEORGE L. HALL. 

